Interviews

Meet Jane Sun Kim. She is a vibrant and talented artist, with her own business and a striking, tasteful sense of fashion--Wearing Jefferey Campbell, American Apparel and Forever21, all styled in a great summer to fall look. Jane, is a self-made entrepreneur, the owner and lead designer of  cuffandchains.bigcartel.com. Her ear cuffs range from sweet and simple bows to boho metal feathers or edgy spikes. But Jane doesn't only make earrings. She also has a small online boutique, Jane's Closet. And to add to that, she is fantastic at DIY projects. She brought a few of the shorts that she had created from regular old vintage jeans. 

 All photos are property of CGMphoto.com

What is your ideal, everyday outfit?

As of right now, I'm always throwing on a top and some high waisted shorts. When it becomes fall/winter I'll be more fashionable, I swear! Once the Bay chill comes back, I'm going to love layering up my outfits with all of my winter essentials which includes scarves, cardigans, chunky sweaters, platforms, boots, and et cetera. 

 What got you into making earrings and having an online shop? 

When I was in 9th grade I walked home everyday after having band class. I typically ignored my neighbor who sat in a wheelchair on her porch, but one day I decided to walk up to her and say hello. She had a card table out with a bunch of beads, string, wire, and tools. Lisa was attempting to make a pair of earrings. She explained to me that she has incredibly shaky hands because of her many health conditions and medications so it made it hard for her to make jewelry anymore. I asked if I can help and that's where my interest in jewelry started. I became her hands, basically. She taught me how to make every kind of jewelry and through that I was finally able to master jewelry making. Once I figured out that I love making ear cuffs, I developed the designs and then made an official website, cuffandchains.bigcartel.com. 

How did you handle the popularity of such? 

I'm so grateful and glad that my jewelry has gotten so popular! It's  physically draining when I get swells of orders in a day, but the thought of other people enjoying products that I made all while being able to support myself makes it worth it. 

What's you're favorite piece that you have made? Earrings and shorts? 

My absolute favorite ear cuff is a very simple cuff with two dainty chains and a stud. I feel that his piece can easily make a classy or edgy outfit look even better! I have an obsession with making shorts and the most awesome shorts I've made were tie dyed. I found some very plain, cotton material shorts for $1 from a thrift store and transformed them into a whirl of color.

 Where do you see yourself going with this? 

With the earrings I definitely want to attempt to start selling in boutiques or wholesaling to online websites. As of right now, my website is doing so well and I'm completely satisfied with that. Who knows? Maybe in the long run I could be working with or for some big name designer! 

 what inspires you? 

There are many other jewelry makers out there so I take inspiration from what they've created and always add a slight twist of my own. Clothing is also a big factor in what I make. I try to make jewelry that'll complement outfits perfectly. 

 What is the best advice you could offer to those who are also wanting to start a homemade business? 

My best advice would be to get your name out there and to perfect what you do. Publicizing your perfected products is the key to having a successful homemade business, in my opinion. 

 Do you have any other aspirations besides what you do with you'r clothes and cuffs? 

I LOVE helping people. I'm not positively sure where my life will take me right now, but I do want to make sure that no matter what it is I choose I'd like to be helping people. 

Jane and I also went thrifting. Click Here, for my haul.

If you are on any major fashion site, you know of Madeline Pendleton--Writer of JEAN*GREIGE (which you should totally go and read), phenomenal online fashion icon, and one of my biggest inspirations when it comes to clothing. I reached out to her, and we worked out a quick interview--she is so nice and humble! Madeline, other than being a top LookBooker, has been featured in Russian Cosmopolitan, Nylon Magazine and has appeared online for MTV, Steve Madden and Nasty Gal, plus much more!This girl is truly amazing. Her vintage pieces are a big part of her styling, I would kill to have some of the clothing she has. But what I love most, is her attitude toward fashion. She has fun with how she dresses, she does it for herself. Not to impress others, and that is most important for anyone with a passion for clothing. It just so happens, that the way she dresses is simply unique and amazing.

(Oh, and she went to school in the Bay Area, California! How cool is that!? That's where I'm from and live!)

All photos featured in this interview are property of  Madeline Pendleton

-Describe your style and look in three words.

Eccentric, easy, fun

-What is your favorite piece at the moment and why?

My favorite item right now is a woven straw purse from Lucky Vintage. It's shaped like a person's face and the mouth is a coin slot! I've never seen anything like it. 

-What got you into blogging?

I wanted a way to document my favorite pieces from my vintage collection! It was like a person archive, and I liked that it made me feel productive outside of work.

-What is the best experience you've gotten through blogging?

I've met some incredible people, and for that, I am immensely grateful. My friends Blake, Taylor, and Isabel were all met through blogging.

-Does music ever inspire looks? If so, what song/artist?

Definitely! I love the unexpected but easy look of no wave, and, on the flip side, the bright and loud aesthetic of new wave. Iconoclastic movements like punk liberated fashion, and it's hard not to be inspired by that. Also, the effortlessness of artists like Patti Smith is really inspirational. I think that music and fashion are inextricably bound because both are reflections of and commentaries on the social and political mainstream. 

-What is the best advice you can give to up-coming fashionistas, aspiring bloggers or artists?

Remember for whom you dress/write/create: yourself. What you put forth into the world might be a reflection of the world around you, but it is through your own lens and for your own satisfaction. 

-How do you handle both, praise and criticism towards your style?

I take both with a grain of salt. Aesthetics are subjective; there are no absolutes, only opinions, and no one person's opinion is more worthwhile than another, so you might as well stop paying attention to what other people think. I dress to make myself smile, and neither praise nor critique will influence me more than the organic process of creating an aesthetic mess in which I can delight!